Salvation
by Senpai Productions
Summary: Her death had skyrocketed her into the past where betrayal, fate and her murderer awaited her. That is, unless she rewrites the story. (Rating may change, SakuraCentric)
1. Prologue

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Prologue

…**..**

The sunshine was sparse where she lived. Though there was a small window-like crevice far out of her reach, it was barred and she had no hope of ever looking through it, but it let in a small amount of light in her dark, dark world.

She'd tried to sit in the sunlight, to let it wash over her skin, sixty-four times to be exact. Every time leaving either a sprained ankle or a new scar from the iron cuffs bound to her ankles and wrists. To some people it might seem downright pitiful to injure herself over a small beam of light but to her, that small amount of sunshine was all that reminded her that there _had _been a better place before she was captured. That the glorious world full of smiling friends and family once existed outside of this hell wasn't just her imagination.

Her large, jade eyes scanned over the floor, claw marks stretched all around her, as if a protective circle to remind her how long she'd been here, marks from where she'd tried to keep them from taking her away- from experimenting on her, marks from others that had been in her exact position before death had saved them.

Looking down at the loose brown shift they'd given her as clothing, her lackluster eyes brimmed with tears, her body had shrunk, bones protruding as though they were attempting to climb out of her skin and escape. She was covered in a thick layer of caked blood, dirt and she smelled of vomit and urine.

Her hair, which hadn't had the luxury of even a trim over the past seven years had grown well below her knees, it was a tangled and clotted mess, sticking up in all directions with filth and smelled of an old basement.

Scars and bruises of all shapes and colors, some infected and some old and misshapen colored her washed-out skin. She was easily the shade of paper, considering her absolute lack of any form of sunlight, most of the time- light in general.

She remembered, so well, who had put her here- she remembered it now and as long as she lived she would never forgive him for it.

The jingle of silver keys outside her wall sounded and the pinkette slammed her back against the wall, her feet desperately kicking at the thin air as if it would hold back whoever was entering the room. She squeezed her eyes shut so that she wouldn't have to see who was coming for her, she begged herself not to scream, not to appear any more pathetic than she already was.

The roots of her hair began to sting as she was hoisted upwards by the long tangled pink mess, she gasped in surprise and pain as the restraints she was wearing protested to her elevated state. Her eyes met with piercing, cruel red orbs.

Her demeanor softened and her eyes became dull, with all her strength, she lurched forward, spitting into the face of the man who had kidnapped her, thrown her in a cell to rot, subjected her to years of interrogation and sick experimentation. Sasuke Uchiha.

"You are of no further use to me." He said, his now long, black hair falling over his shoulder as he wiped the bloody saliva from his cheek with the pad of his thumb. His face never losing it's calm demeanor, that sickeningly calm attitude in the face of death only made her hate him more.

"For what you've done to Naruto, I hope you rot in hell." Sakura stated calmly, not scared to die here. This is what she'd wanted for years. Death would put her back with Sai and Naruto, Kakashi and Tsunade, all those she'd lost for the sake of this wretched leech.

As he raised his katana, she looked defiantly up to him.

_I wish I could have saved you all, please… "Forgive me." _ Her final thoughts carried off to words as blood flowed down her chest. A neat slit across her throat bleeding her dry, tears of both pain and joy filled her eyes as she lost all sight, a world of complete white surrounded her numb body, she could hear the voices of her loved one's calling out to her… calling her home.

She accepted death with open arms.

…**..**


	2. Chapter 1

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Picture belongs to aProverbial on Deviantart.

Chapter One

…**..**

"_Sakura-Chan?" _

She could hear Naruto's voice… he was calling her. Her skin felt warm, she could feel warm hands on her shoulders, this was it, she was in heaven. She opened her eyes, prepared to see pearly gates. Instead, she saw a haunting pair of charcoal eyes of Sasuke Uchiha.

Instantly, at a speed she was surprised she could get to considering she'd been shackled for the past seven years, her hands snapped around the throat of the man before her, blind with rage she threw herself on top of him, straddling him as she forcefully held him in place by the throat, egged on by the sound of his choking, she snapped a chakra-laden fist forward, praying it would make contact and crush his fucking skull.

But it never made contact, she was thrown on her side, sliding across a polished wooden floor in the process, she steadied herself on a heel and charged at the strange looking Uchiha, he was now almost height level with her, his face seemed to be different as well- but it may have simply been the dark lighting playing tricks on her, or perhaps her sick mind, she wasn't sure.

"Sakura! Stop!"

The sound of Kakashi's voice in her ears halted her steps, her head jerked to the left as she made contact with two of the people whom she'd missed the most. Kakashi and… Naruto?

Wait… her mind cut off the supply of chakra to her fist, her hand going limp at her sides as she confusedly stared at the two before her. Kakashi was nearly twenty inches taller than Naruto, who was laden in his bright orange and blue jumpsuit, one he'd abandoned after he went off training with Jiraiya-Sama.

He was… a mirror image of his twelve year old self… What trickery was this?

Her head snapped in the direction of the Uchiha she'd grown to despise, his eyes were narrow slits as he prepared for another attack, his arms in a blocked position in front of his face, Kakashi too seemed to think she were going to strike once again, as he appeared between the two preteens, clasping Sakura's wrists with a gentle, yet firm grip. His charcoal eye burning into her large jade orbs.

"Sakura, what do you think you're doing?" He said, calmly. She'd seen this technique before, he thought she was having a nightmare, that it was a panic attack or something of the sort.

The nightmare part… may have been true.

She was unable to process the information or sights before her, the gears in her mind turned and turned to think of some answer as she simply stared wide-eyed to the silver haired jonin before her, her mouth open but unable to find words to speak.

"Sakura-Chan!"

Was all she'd heard before her eyes slipped shut and her mind went blank, Kakashi caught the unconscious girl before she'd crashed to the floor, lying her down on her sleeping mat once more he checked her forehead, not surprised to feel how hot it had become.

"Fever dream." He muttered, surprised Sakura had managed to throw Sasuke on his back. Though she had caught him off guard, her movements were graceful and direct, she was going to end his life. _Sakura, what could you possibly have been dreaming about… _he thought with dull eyes. His facial expression became dry as he turned to Sasuke, who too turned back to his more stoic nature, Naruto however, looked to be at a complete loss from the situation.

"So? Sakura-Chan tried to kill teme because she was dreaming?" Naruto questioned sleepily, scratching the back of his blonde head in confusion as his eyes darted from Sasuke to Sakura.

"She wasn't going to kill him, Naruto. Sasuke probably just surprised her, you've all been under a lot of stress lately, get some sleep." He smiled from the doorway, though these events would chew at the back of his mind, leaving him sleepless for the rest of the night.

_Would _she have killed Sasuke if they went uninterrupted?

Sasuke's own mind was haunted with questions as he rested himself in the windowsill, looking down to his two teammates, Naruto, sprawled out over his sleeping mat as if nothing happened, drool flowing from the corner of his mouth… Sakura still and silent, the only indication that she was even alive was her feint chakra signature. She looked as if she would wake if he even stepped near her.

His fingers went to his throat, touching the tender area. He was annoyed to admit it, for multiple reasons, but she nearly killed him. When she drew back her fist he didn't see an ounce of hesitation in her eyes, it was the fact that she wanted to at all that bothered him most. He doubted she could have killed him with a punch to the face but the fact that she'd managed a perfect pin down was impressive, but seeing as she was in a panic and he wasn't trying to attack in any hostile way, he allowed her to do as she pleased.

As he tried to flex the muscles of his throat, and merely ended with a pained hiss, he realized that was a mistake. Annoying.

Sakura felt nothing but triumph as she heard Sasuke's hiss, he was probably touching at his throat, assessing damage. That bastard. Though her mind couldn't process what was going on, if it were a sick genjutsu being played by Uchiha or if it were heaven, or perhaps even… a second chance, she didn't care, she could think of that later… _For now_… she thought as she drifted to sleep… _I'm home_…

…**...**


	3. Chapter 2

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Chapter Two

…**..**

When she awoke she could smell frying fish from the kitchen, she'd slept through breakfast and morning training, she'd yet to decide what exactly _this _was. Though you could easily rule out Heaven if Sasuke was also there. So it was a choice between incredibly sick genjutsu and she had somehow traveled through time, sadly, everything pointed to the first.

Gently touching her red sleeping mat her big green eyes looked about the room, she remembered this place. It was the home they had stayed at during their first mission outside of the village, Tazuna the bridge builder's home.

She thought sadly about the fate of the boy, Haku and his mentor. They were bad people, but their death was still the first she'd witnessed and sad none the less. Considering the her teammates weren't covered in bandages, she guessed it was prior to the battle of the Naruto bridge.

Chewing on the inside of her lip she considered her options, she could go along with it, or try to dispel it… if it weren't a genjutsu… well, what would she do then?

Closing her eyes she performed a tiger seal, "Kai!"

Reopening her eyes, nothing around her had changed, in disbelief, she tried at it a total of six more times. Nothing had happened. Not even a waver around her. Her eyes brimmed slightly with tears, had she been given a second chance to repent? To save those she had lost?

"Sakura-Chan, are you feeling better?" 

Turning her head, a sight she'd been longing to see for so many years appeared before her, her long lost friend and comrade, a man who had proudly given his life for the village he'd loved so desperately much- Naruto Uzumaki.

He was real.

Before she could think of her actions, she threw herself at him, throwing her arms over his shoulders and twisting her small fingers into his blonde hair, crying desperately into his shoulder, she clutched him to her with almost a crushing force, not willing to let him go once again. All the guilt she had felt in the past years washing forward like waves of an ocean.

"S-Sakura-Chan? Hey, Sakura-Chan?" Naruto tried, face red as a tomato as the girl he'd had a crush on for years hugged him, unsure how to react he awkwardly patted her back, trying to sooth her from whatever had caused her to cry so much.

"I'm so sorry Naruto!" She wailed into his shoulder, her voice rasp and broken with sobs. His bright blue eyes only looked at the crying girl in confusion, turning to glance at Sasuke, who too looked as though he had no idea what was going on.

Sasuke watched her throw herself in Naruto's direction, half expecting the blonde to be attacked just as he was, but to his surprise she had embraced him with tears. He didn't know what to make of his pink haired teammate, usually she'd treat the blonde with annoyance and short-tempered outbursts. Now she acted as though she hadn't seen him in years. He wondered silently what was going through this girl's head.

Sakura sniffled, drawing back from the blonde with an apologetic look on her face. She knew she looked like a crazy person but to her, this was the most heartwarming thing that had ever happened. Smiling, she grabbed his hand, giggling at the way his face lit up. "Let's go outside, Naruto!" She beamed, she was finally going to feel the sun on her skin! Finally! 

"Er, uh, O-okay, Sakura-Chan!" He said confusedly, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth so he let her drag him outside, the way her eyes widened and teared up made him confused, but the way she looked at everything with such amazement and wonder made him forget his confusion and remember just why he liked her so much, even though she could be really scary, Sakura-Chan did have the warmest heart.

She couldn't believe it was real. The sunlight she had longer for for so long, it was basking over her skin. It felt so warm, so bright. The tears overflowed as she rolled through the soft spring grass, it smelled of rain and freedom.

"Why are ya crying, Sakura-Chan?" Naruto questioned hesitantly, it wasn't like he didn't like the new nice Sakura, but she sure was acting weird she kept crying.

Her big green eyes just sparkled in the sunlight as she grabbed his hand, softly pulling him to the ground with her, her smile was pure as the boy sheepishly laid down beside her in the grass, they sat in silence for a long time. Sakura just letting the sun on her skin was enough to make her want to scream in joy.

In a far off part of her mind, she knew she had obligations, if she were really given a second chance it should be used to better the future, that she should be preventing a scornful and evil Uchiha from leaving the village, preventing a weak Sannin from implanting a curse mark, preventing Sasuke from murdering his brother and turning against the village, preventing a power crazed god-like Uchiha from ever touching her beloved home, preventing Naruto from giving his life. But at this moment, as she was offered her first taste of the outside world in seven years, though she was a 26 year old in a 12 year old's body, she longed for nothing but freedom.

She gently stroked her wrists, no scars of mutilations, no cuffs. Simply the creamy white skin she'd always adored. Though, as she gently fingered the long tendrils of pink hair, thinking back to the Forest of Death in times to come, she nearly winced. She would have to cut it later.

"Feeling better, Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes searching her for her old self, waiting for her to change her mood and wallop him on the head or deliver a hard punch. But no, instead she simply smiled a smile she would once save only for teme, before her small, graceful fingers ruffled his soft sunshine-colored hair.

"Yeah, sorry Naruto. Just tensions getting to me." She said, knowing it was a lie. But she was a shinobi, a veteran at that. She could lie perfectly right down to the smallest twitch of her eyelashes.

"That's awesome, Sakura-chan!" He said with his trademark thumbs-up and foxy grin. It made her heart clutch, but she simply smiled away. Just happy to be back with her friends once more.

A loud whistle interrupted what seemed to be the best day of her life. Naruto's eyes widened in excitement as he turned to Sakura, "Sakura-Chan! Kakashi-Sensei's is back from his errands, he said he'd teach us a new jutsu today!" The blonde cheered, practically jumping out of his skin.

Sakura's eyes softened at the display, this Naruto was so different from his older self. She remembered she used to try so hard to catch up to him and Sasuke, never realizing that all she would have to do was train harder and gain more experience to do that. And when she'd finally caught up to Naruto… well… he was gone.

Sighing, she cut the memory short. She was getting a chance to fix things. She certainly didn't need past memories holding her back. Weather it made her sick to do it or not- she had to prevent Sasuke's betrayal and Madara's attempt at convincing him otherwise.

She bit her tongue and nodded, "Let's go."

…**...**


	4. Chapter 3

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Chapter Three

…**..**

"Ne? You want us to climb trees?" Naruto asked incredulously, crestfallen he wouldn't be learning an awesome technique like 'super face busting no jutsu' or something cool like that, No, instead Kakashi had insisted they climbed trees while he read his pervy little book.

Kakashi was still tired from his previous encounter with Zabuza in the forest, he didn't feel like explaining things to Naruto for the third time. "Yes. Climb the trees using only your feet and chakra." He tried dumbing it down, but still the blonde didn't seem as though he was grasping the concept.

Sasuke stood indifferently to the side. Neither scourning or admiring the task handed to him. He figured Kakashi had meant that they were to gather chakra onto the bottom of their feet and use it to cling to the surface of the trees, he just didn't understand why that technique would be useful to them at this point, if they encountered those missing nin again they would need offensive combat techniques.

Sakura simply stared. She, a second generation Sannin, did not feel like participating in this training. She could gather chakra to anywhere on her body so easily it was as simplistic as breathing to her now, but she recalled finishing early anyway and doing nothing but sitting idly as the two boys hashed it out all night. She figured a bit of showing off wasn't too bad.

While Naruto and Sasuke bickered in the background about who was going to reach the top of the tree first, Kakashi watched as Sakura approached the tallest tree she could find, gingerly lifting her foot to make contact with the bark of the tree, before easily scaling her way to the top. She had excellent chakra control, he'd known that already from her Academic reports, but he was slightly impressed that she was able to do it in her first try. His charcoal eye flickered to Sasuke, examining the purple handprint shaped bruises that coiled around his throat, hardly able to believe that Sakura was able to cause them. Halfly because she'd always been devoted to the Uchiha, halfly because they were dark and angry, precise and required a lot of brute strength for such dark and focused discoloration.

Suspicion loomed deep in his eyes as he stared at the girl, now chuckling and waving to her thoroughly confused teammates. Sakura, who he'd seen hardly any potential in, had been showing a lot of odd signs lately. Was it possible they had been infiltrated by Zabuza or the fake 'Hunter nin' from before? No… he remembered coming back later last night and scanning over Sakura with his sharingan, there was nothing physically different about her.

Could she have been traumatized by the events previously? No. Impossible. She'd yet to see anything truly scarring, but perhaps the near death experience was just not that shocking to a man who'd seen war and death and loss. Maybe it was scarring to a young girl… He reminded herself to have Sakura take a psyche evaluation when they returned to the village. He couldn't have her pulling any more of her stunts and accidentally killing Sasuke, could he?

"Wow, Sakura." Kakashi goaded, "Looks like she's closer to becoming Hokage than you are, Naruto. On her first try too? Impressive."

Sakura glared daggers at him for using her accomplishments as fuel for her teammates, but sighed. It was necessary, even if his compliment was empty and somewhat cruel, she could understand his reasons. Marking her spot at the tip of the tall pine, she gracefully leapt from her perch. Not even flinching as she directed chakra around the joints in her feet, landing on the ground without a single sound.

Naruto stared starry-eyed at his teammate who had made a four-story fall look like nothing, while Sasuke simply 'Tch'd' in annoyance. Sakura had never bested him at anything, and if she could do it, surely it wasn't too difficult a task.

Naruto and Sasuke had made a dozen attempts, each barely higher than the last, each ending with a not-so-graceful crash to the ground. Though, just as he did before, Naruto was humble enough to ask advice, unlike the holier-than-thou Uchiha.

Sakura happily- unlike last time- gave him clear and easy instructions. He wasn't able to do it perfectly, Naruto was never good with chakra control, his was wild and free. It was simply his nature. Sakura smiled, it was a proud feeling, knowing she was assisting one of the bravest men in this world to succeed.

Stretching her arms over her head with a yawn, Sakura looked at the setting sun. "I'm heading back. Good luck you too." She said with a simple wave to her teammates.

Sasuke, as expected, simply ignored her. Naruto however managed a 'bye Sakura-chan' before she was out of earshot. Though she had no intentions of returning to the cottage. She needed a bit of time to herself for actual training.

Even with the expanse of jutsu and combat information she had, it was useless if the body couldn't keep up. So, once a far enough distance not to be caught, carefully searching for even the slightest trace of chakra in the area, she lowered herself to the ground and folded her legs beneath her, forcing chakra to expand her gates.

It was painful, but even in her small and fragile body, her tolerance to pain was nothing to shake a stick at. So she continued on, forcing her chakra gates to widen and held them for as long as she could, before breaking out into pants and whimpers of pain, then repeating the process all over again. She never really noticed how weak her genin body had been. But now that she remembered being one of the strongest kunoichi in all five nations, it was miniscule in action. If she were going to protect her village, she'd have to be able to take the pain.

…**...**


	5. Chapter 4

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Chapter Four

…**..**

Sakura had managed to put on a brave face, sucking in every ounce of pain in her sore limbs as she tried to walk normally into the cottage of the bridge builder, everyone was asleep at this point and she'd intercepted Kakashi not far from the cottage. He'd found her sweaty and panting, her excuse was that she'd been running laps since she finished training early, her lie was perfect and on point, she'd even jogged past Naruto and Sasuke once more so she'd have an alibi. He took it without question, though she was slightly offended that he'd offered compliment to her simply training, as though it were a great feat. She also saw a hint of concern cross through his eyes.

She assumed he thought she was mentally scarred from the experience with Zabuza. Sadly enough, she was certain she was mentally scarred, but for entirely different reasons. Her body language was that of a caged animal, but she was able to keep it under wraps for the time being. Though she wanted to applaud herself on mental strength for not screaming any time she stepped into a dark room or attacking like a cornered animal whenever someone surprised her. She was well aware that the seven years she'd spent rotting away were eventually going to resurface and gnaw at her mind, but only on her second day in, she was stable and for now, that was enough for her.

Casually slipping into her nightwear, she took time to examine herself in the mirror. She hadn't seen herself in a very, very long time and it was odd that the first sight of herself in so long would be of her younger self. She was pale and for the most part- scrawny. Her hair was long and hung past the middle of her back, which annoyed her. After her first go at the chunnin exams she'd decided she liked her hair short. Besides- she'd only grown it long in the first place to impress the Uchiha bastard.

Thoughts of him popped up in her mind and her jaw locked like a steel trap, trying her hardest not to grit her teeth she angrily searched through her kunai pouch, taking a fistfull of those long, luxurious locks she'd cherished so much and with one, perfect slice, effectively lopping them off.

She'd not been too blind with rage to swing mercilessly like the first time. Her cut was even and neat, but not too short. Her hair now hung a few inches below her shoulders. She tossed the bundle of hair into the waste basket beside the sink, feeling much better as she tossed an oversized T-shirt over her small form, slipping on a pair of black shorts too boot.

She tucked all of her clothing into a small bag and slung it over her shoulder, trying to silently escape into the hall unnoticed.

Yet, she once again came face-to-face with Sasuke Uchiha, looking surprised at her short hair. Not even wanting to _look_ at him, she tried to step around him to get to the room at the end of the hall.

Sasuke, confused and angry at her attitude, snatched her wrist. "What's your problem with me, Sakura?" He demanded, that's right, Uchiha's never asked- they _demanded._

That attitude is exactly what drove her over the edge, with skill she probably should know better than revealing, she twisted his arm behind his back, shoving him against the wall, bringing her lips to his ear, she whispered; "Never, ever, touch me again or I'll break your fucking hand." She ground out through her teeth, applying pressure to his hand for emphasis.

Before Sasuke could retaliate or do much of anything, she'd already disappeared down the hall. Leaving a practically livid and humiliated Uchiha to his own devices.

Sakura pulled her sleeping mat far from Sasuke and Naruto's, pressing her back against the far wall where she'd settled down she took a deep breath, she was tired but wouldn't rest easy until she knew everyone had fallen asleep. She couldn't sleep soundly with her own murderer awake.

She knew she'd made a mistake at lashing out at Sasuke, she was well aware that she wasn't thinking logically. That she should put her feelings aside, but after everything, she'd never once gotten a fair go at the Uchiha. He played dirty, keeping her under lock and key with chakra eating cuffs, malnourished and constantly on the brink of death yet unable to die. Was it so wrong for her to be unable to forget that?

Lying down on her back, a motion that was sore to her tender muscles, making her hiss with pain. She regulated her breathing and kept her body still. To even the most trained eye she would appear fast asleep.

She hadn't worked out a plan yet. Though she was aware the fight with Zabuza was fast approaching, less than a week away. There wasn't much she could physically do and while she remembered the fight turning out alright, she wished she could do more than stand on the sidelines.

Sasuke entered the room and it took all of her willpower not to flinch. She felt his eyes linger on her for a moment, his chakra showing his hostile mindset. Nonetheless he laid down, taking nearly an hour to fall asleep. She assumed he thought she was going to strike him in his sleep.

While the idea was appealing, she instantly ruled it out.

…**...**


	6. Chapter 5

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Chapter Five

…**..**

Sasuke was at a loss for words. He watched the pinkette eat, the blonde idiot throwing compliments at her for her hair cut. She was acting too strangely for it to simply be a bit of shock. No, he could tell by the way she directly avoided eye-contact with him, the hate in her eyes whenever he was near. While she wouldn't look at him, he was aware that he was the cause.

It didn't make sense, he remembered when she would practically beg him to train with her, to go on dates, to do anything that involved him being alone with her. Now, it was as if the sight of him made her want to snap his neck. The tender feeling in his throat as he swallowed reminded him that she had already tried. He was beginning to believe that it wasn't some ridiculous 'fever dream' that had caused her to lash out at him, that perhaps she'd finally lost her mind and intended to kill him.

The thought both confused and infuriated him. He'd done _nothing_ to her, sure he'd turned down her ridiculous dates and offers of training, but she couldn't fully hate him simply because he didn't take interest in her. It was ludacris. What confused him most was her odd attitude, instead of the usual airheaded comments and unmotivated actions, she'd actually been training in solitude, even when Kakashi hadn't advised it. The gears in his head turned but he wasn't able to come to a single logical explanation.

Sakura tried to casually eat her rice, pretending not to notice Sasuke glaring at her. She was too focused on the day to come, today was the day Zabuza would strike. After her training session yesterday, she'd healed her wounds with the last of her chakra before passing out. She wasn't nearly close to brushing a tenth of her former level, but she would get there eventually. She was aware that in this fight she could do nothing but shield Tazuna wielding a kunai that wouldn't be put to use, but she was aware it was necessary and essential to Naruto's growth as a shinobi, so she would not interfere.

Looking dryly down into her cup of tea, she tried her best to go along with a daily routine.

The Sakura, Kakashi and Sasuke escorted Tazuna to the bridge, Sakura could feel the tension in the air as soon as she crossed the threshold onto the unfinished structure. A bit of apprehension bubbled in the pit of her stomach. Though she did not fear for herself, as she'd seen horrors that would breach far beyond anything she'd see here, she was aware that an attack was coming and that she could do nothing but watch as it did.

Naruto had stayed back, just as he did before. He would eventually save Tazuna's daughter and grandson in doing so, but it still made her anxious that he was off fighting alone. Just as she remembered, the workers had been attacked and Zabuza's mist was already creeping in.

She took her stance in front of the bridgebuilder, Sasuke and Kakashi to her left and right flank, she drew a kunai that she was aware would go unused.

Kakashi had already taken down Zabuza's water clones, and Sakura watched two very real forms enter the mist- Haku and Zabuza. Sasuke, as before was given to Haku as an opponent while Kakashi took on Zabuza, who was more than happy to oblige.

Sakura watched with the faint hope that things would be over quickly, as she already knew how the fight would end. Blow for blow, everything went on precisely as it had so long ago, not missing a single beat.

Now all that she was to wait for was the arrival of Naruto, when things would really pick up.

…**...**


	7. Chapter 6

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Chapter Six

…**..**

Sakura watched as Naruto entered the cage of ice, thwarting Sasuke's plan of an attack on both fronts. Sakura knew the end result was acceptable, but was still a little annoyed that he hadn't caught the opportunity.

She could tell her dry expression and calm demeanor was irking the bridge builder who was cowering behind her, looking as though he may run screaming at any moment had he not remembered the fact that leaving the team would leave him completely unguarded and vulnerable to those seeking to kill him. _Coward. _Sakura thought amusedly as she watched the display before her eyes. Had she not been so terrified the first time around, she would have caught how interesting the fight itself was.

"How can you be so damn calm, kid?" Tazuna asked incredulously.

Sakura turned to face him with the dryest, dullest expression he swore he had ever seen a human being make. "I have a lot of faith in my teammates." She said in a bleak and somewhat sarcasm laced mutter. Which seemed to both anger and shut up the old man as the tips of his ears lit up red with annoyance.

As she heard Zabuza begin to boast of a way past the sharingan, her stance became stronger, for in a few moments he would lay out a barrage of attacks in the thick mist, eyes-closed to render the sharingans ocular effect useless and would come straight for Tazuna.

She could sense his chakra presence whirling through the air and feel the tickle of wind as his large blade began to make a crescent swipe at the man behind her, Kakashi appeared before her, arms outstretched, biting her lip Sakura remembered just how wounded Kakashi had been after taking the brunt of the attack, and decided she could do this much for the man who had done everything for her, even with the bits of neglect she still honored this man to her grave.

Appearing beside him she laced the smallest bit of chakra into her hands, just so that the blade would slice into her hands, but not sever them as they would have had it not been there, and aided Kakashi in catching the sword.

She could practically feel the shock radiating off of him, though he was much more severely injured than herself, it was not mortal as it had been before. Her hands stung badly and they looked to be in horrible condition, the blood flowing from them giving the effect of red gloves, had she not been trying to appear nonchalant, she would have chuckled.

"Sakura, get back!" Kakashi demanded firmly, she felt a bit scolded for what she had done, but she didn't regret it. This time around- she would have no regrets for fighting alongside her comrades.

Kakashi then prepared for his signature attack, chidori, when the red hot flames of the Nine-tails chakra began to form, halting the movement of all those outside of those large, ice mirrors. Sakura felt a woeful look pass her own eyes, unnoticed by the shocked and wounded Kakashi. Naruto's seal had began to loosen.

A loud roar ripped through the air like a carving knife as a following pulsation of chakra lit up within the prison of ice. Kakashi, fearing Naruto's seal would give way to the Kyubi being formed, pulled a scroll from his thigh pouch, smearing his already exposed blood across it in a single fluid motion.

"I think it's time we ended this." He proclaimed as his entire pack of ninken dogs appeared, already familiar with Zabuza's scent from the wound he had just inflicted upon their master, went to seek out the mist nin.

Naruto's battle was ongoing with Haku, she could hear the sounds of Naruto's roar and followed by Haku's form breaking through one of the once-thought impenetrable ice mirrors. A red-chakra laden Naruto appeared, eyes angry red with power as he made a frenzied charge for Haku who was now on his feet. Sakura counted down to the events to follow

_1…._

Haku's mask cracked.

_2…. _

Pieces began falling to the bridge below.

_3…._

Naruto's fist stopped just inches from the feminine looking boy's face.

Sakura's heart reached out for Naruto, because now that Kakashi was seconds away from impaling Zabuza with his signature technique, Haku was going to sacrifice himself and Naruto was going to be forced to suffer because of it.

The chakra once cloaking Naruto flittered away like dust, his red eyes becoming the sky blue she had found so much comfort in once. The kyuubi's traces on his form flittered away as quickly as they had come.

Sakura tried her best to ignore what was about to happen, averting her eyes to the crashing waves of the sea below just as she heard Naruto's cry and the screaming birds of the chidori meet flesh, the sounds of blood spraying and the coppery scent in the air however, wouldn't let Sakura ignore the heartwrenching scene around her.

Kakashi's dogs dispersed as Haku's senbon needles damaged the summoning scroll, their disappearing 'pop' being the only sounds over the silence of death. Sakura looked to see Zabuza raise his sword, seeing his companions death an opening to kill her sensei, at the last moment Kakashi jumped from the path, Haku's body dangling like a ragdoll, still impaled on his hand.

Kakashi removed the lifeless boy and allowed him to softly fall to the ground. He demanded a confused, conflicted and angry Naruto to stay out of the fight. Sakura looked at Naruto, his pained expression made a bit of guilt swell in her chest.

"Where's Sasuke?" Sakura found herself asking annoyedly, not remembering the consequences of such actions, she wanted to smack herself in the forehead as Naruto was unable to answer her, looking away.

Tazuna misread her actions and offered at his expense, for Sakura to go and see her fallen teammate. Which she had zero desire to do, but well aware it would look suspicious and hateful not to, at this point she was weighing her options but she knew standing back and saying 'I don't give a rats ass if he's dead or not' would make her out to be a sociopath, she annoyedly walked forward, as slowly as possible, hoping he would bleed out in the time it took her to get to him, but knowing full well he wouldn't die. Haku had missed all vital points. Sakura soon found herself damning the boy's kind nature.

Standing over the body of Sasuke Uchiha, who amusedly looked like a porcupine all riddled with senbon, Sakura tried her best not to look satisfied but with her back to the bridge builder, she allowed herself a small, guarded smirk.

She kneeled down, touching the bruises strewn across his jugular. A thought struck her, she could kill him here, her chakra scalpel simply sliced through whatever layer of tissue she pleased, she could slice through the artery in his throat without there even being the tiniest scratch of a trace-

Her mouth went dry as she looked at his helpless form. She could do it. She could prevent everything from happening by simply eradicating Sasuke from the picture. He'd never kill Itachi, he'd never cross paths with Madara, he'd never take over the village, Naruto would live.

Her mind struggled between what she knew was right and what her entire body nearly screamed with the urge to do. Never in her life had she ever wanted something so painfully bad, she felt tears of anger form in her eyes as she slammed her fist into the cement just by the Uchiha's head.

She didn't know what to do. She could exact her revenge here and now, she could take the easy way out and just break the building apart by it's foundation. But no, she knew deep down that it wasn't the proper way to do it.

Having his life in her hands and being unable to take it was like dangling an empty bottle of liquor in front of an alcoholic- no, her urges were stronger. It pained her not to strike him, not to at least have some small shred of hope that she would never have to look at this traitor's face again.

She felt Naruto's hand on her shoulder, he must have mistaken her conflicting tears for tears of concern. She allowed him to think that, playing the part of a concerned teammate, though as Sasuke's eyes hazily opened and they had a brief, second of eye contact, she allowed her mask of concern to drop, releasing her full killing intent into his direction. An older Sasuke wouldn't have blinked at it, but younger Sasuke looked confused with the tiniest pang of fear swimming in those little black eyes.

Though a bit early, considering Sasuke hadn't woken until they had already disappeared the last time, Gato and his men arrived and Zabuza's arms were already out of commission, he unraveled the bandages that hid his razor teeth- like that of most the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, and asked one last favor of Naruto- a kunai.

Naruto complied hesitants, trustworthy fool that he was, he'd made the correct decision. The rest of the fight was a blur to Sakura, she didn't watch or listen, she was simply there. It felt like watching a movie you'd seen play through a thousand times.

It wasn't until they were departing 'The Great Naruto Bridge' that Sakura acknowledged that she let Sasuke live and that she'd _shown _him her disappointment in that. She'd made her decision, not for herself, but for Naruto who she knew, would mourn his friend's loss, considering he had no recollection of what his so-called 'friend' would do to him in the future.

Her teeth grit together annoyedly, already regretting her decision.

…**...**


	8. Chapter 7

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Chapter Seven

…**..**

Though Sakura could never recall being rude to her parents, she never really stopped to take the time to appreciate them. Now, after not seeing them for nearly ten years, she was in tears. She hadn't even crossed through the doorway of her home before her father had hoisted her up into a crushing embrace, dramatically crying at his daughters return. Her father had always been one for theatrics.

Her mother, stern woman she was, sighed at the sight. "Kizashi, let the girl breathe."

"But Mebuki! Our daughter has returned safe and sound! Her first mission outside of the village, how could you be so heartless?!" He said, painfully stroking the pinkette's short locks, "She even cut her beautiful hair, my little girl is growing up!" He sobbed.

Mebuki sighed once more but none the less cracked a smile at her daughter, "It's nice to have you home." She said, giving her daughter a small wink before incapacitating her father with a good-natured crack to the head.

While Kizashi was off nursing the lump forming on his head, Sakura and her mother stayed behind in the kitchen, Mebuki presenting a pink cake with small white lettering to congratulate her on her first out-of-village mission. She remembered this day once being annoying to her, but now it felt so good just to be home.

Later that night, she found herself in her room, smiling at the rectangular, shiny-green wrapped gift in her hands. She already knew what it was, but she was gleeful to open it anyway. A red scarf, long, made of a heavy fire-resistant material and a white zip-up top with a crimson Haruno crest proudly sewn into the back. She'd discarded the outfit when she received it, dubbing the outfit 'not cute', but now that she looked at it, she loved everything about it.

She zipped the top over a small white crop-top made of a clingy spandex material, and coiled the scarf lovingly around her neck, it was wide, every so often shielder the lower region of her throat, but it's warmth and presence was comforting, soothing her broken mind.

She'd chosen a subtle pair of black capris. Looking at herself in the body-length mirror across from her bed, she felt satisfied, strong. She touched her bare, unscarred knuckles gently. She remembered that this body had yet to see battle.

With such a warped mind, it felt strange to have an unscarred body. She pondered the idea as she curled up in bed, the light still shining brightly. She couldn't bare to have it off- not alone once again. She couldn't.

She fell into a light, restless sleep.

…**...**


	9. Chapter 8

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Chapter Eight

…**..**

Had she been a smart girl- she wouldn't have enrolled in the exams. If she didn't enroll neither could Sasuke or Naruto, but if she did that, a lot of necessary ties would be severed. Most devastatingly, the tie between Suna and Konoha through Gaara and Naruto's shared curse of being a jinjuriki. Necessary ties that would not only improve trade routes, but open the doorway for many other alliances between villages.

Sakura reminisced on the days when she had acted as a diplomat and all the days she spent cooped up in her mentor's office, looking over every tax return, mission report, business regiment she could get her hands on. She was always efficient and determined in her work. If there was anything left for her to be proud of about herself, it would be that.

Their friendship was something she could not afford to slip by simply because she wanted to take the easy route. Naruto also forms a light bond with Neji Hyuga here, though compared to the former, it was minuscule.

She would be forced to intercept Orochimaru in the forest of death. If she could prevent him from bestowing a curse seal upon Sasuke she could at least slow down his departure from the village in time to figure out what she was going to do to him, but in the mean time he'd not taken a step near her, avoiding her like the plague. She thoroughly enjoyed that she was seeing less of him, but was aware it was damaging Naruto and his own already shaky bond, just in the cusp of forming.

She couldn't prevent that.

She wracked her brain for just _how _she planned to intercept Orochimaru. She was entirely confident that had she been in her older body, she would have been able to do it, to kill him. But in her younger and frailer form she was no where near her prior physical poweress. She doubted that in the small, almost insignificant three month span between now and the chunin exams that she could work up enough muscle or widen her chakra gates to use _half_ of her previous jutsus and attacks.

Since her debut in this world she'd starting storing chakra continuously to a point in her forehead once again. She doubted it would develop before Orochimaru arrived but it would be more than useful later on.

She began to pant ferociously on her second lap around the village. She was are she may either vomit or stumble soon, perhaps both. But training was useless if she didn't push herself past the limit- thus giving herself more room to improve.

She noted that instead of training, the first time around, she'd gone shopping and stayed inside, not really doing much of anything. It annoyed her that she hadn't taken the precious time to work her her technique, but it was the past, she would right all of her wrongs.

Kindness would not keep her friends and family alive, it would not keep her village's flame burning brightly. She would be forced to act like the ruthless, cold woman that the fourth war had made her. It wouldn't make her friends, but it would protect those she'd come to love.

Resolve now burning deep in the pit of her stomach, she pushed on. After the fourth lap she would focus on relaxing and stretching her chakra gates once again. If she still had the ability to move after that, it would be conditioning her arms and legs for combat.

The training that had once been a daily routine for her to hone her skills was now annoyingly difficult. She felt as though she were held prisoner in her body, It was one thing to be weak. It was another to know that you were strong and being unable to physically show it.

She'd ended up collapsing into bed, nearly unable to move from the throbbing pain of her muscles. Every tiny movement nearly brought tears to her eyes, yet she worked through it. The next morning was none the easier as she found herself in an equally as sore state, but she forced herself to repeat the process over and over, day by day,

Little by little she could feel her body becoming stronger- or perhaps accepting the pain, she wasn't entirely sure. She wanted to go and see Naruto, being away from her made her anxious, as if he may one day disappear once again, slipping from her grasp just as she'd gotten him back, but she was aware he was doing his own training with Jiraiya and she didn't want to loosen his resolve.

She'd started a collection of scars on her knuckles from pounding away at trees and training dummies. She bit through the pain, she had to assure herself that she could at least perform to her best abilities in combat. She wouldn't let her friends down.

…**...**


	10. Chapter 9

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Chapter Nine

…**..**

She found herself dreading Kakashi's proclamation that he had entered them into the chunin exams, the sooner he said it, the less time she would have training. She knew that it would be a little about a month away, a month full of D-rank missions, but she couldn't help the bit of fear that curled in the pit of her stomach at the thought of facing Orochimaru in the physical state she was in.

She didn't have to kill him, just wound him enough that he would leave before placing the curse mark on Sasuke. Of course she could allow Sasuke to get attacked and open way for the grass nin to kill him before he awoke, activating his curse seal.

She grimaced, _No. Naruto wouldn't be able to take that. _

Her hands curled into a strong fist at her side, her teeth gritting. She was aware that her disgust toward the young Uchiha was shoving a fork between the teams ties. She know she was not acting rationally or skillfully- but the burning hatred that flared in her chest at the thought of the Uchiha was too strong to ever be extinguished.

He imprisoned her in a cell for seven years, he destroyed her home, took away those most precious to her, she would never be able to look upon him without such hatred and bitterness that she harbored.

Continuing a barrage of kunai, each perfectly striking a target dead center, she was pulled from her thoughts by a familiar, gut-wrenching chakra. Slyly, she tossed a kunai to her right, it whizzed past the inky head of the Uchiha heir, but not before slicing open the ivory skin of his cheek. Though he made no indication that her assault had scared or harmed him, she knew it had cut deep enough to hurt.

"Why are you spying, Uchiha?" She spat with visible and audible disgust toward his lineage. He appeared at the bottom of the tree, his sandaled feet scuffing into the roots below as charcoal eyes met hers.

"Spar me." Was his simple demand as he took a fighting stance.

Sakura snorted, moving to retrieve her kunai and leave, "You're not worth my time."

As she reached up to wrench a kunai buried nearly hilt-deep in the practice board, a foot slammed into the small of her back and she choked in surprise, turning with blazing emerald orbs to the Uchiha who was now looking at her with a spiteful, smouldering expression. Not hiding his smug look.

Her hands shook with the need to strike and her heart beat sporadically in her chest as she released her full killing intent around the young Uchiha, it wrapped around him like a suffocating cloak of fear, but he let none of it come to sight as he continued his steely glare. "I saw the way you were looking at me, that day on the bridge." Was all he said as he threw himself forward into an ax-kick.

Before the air could even move around her Sakura had disappeared. Her anger boiling to dangerous levels as the Uchiha came at her, she was a veteran shinobi and he was a child in her eyes. The twenty-six year old appeared just before his foot touched the ground, her fingers curling around his ankle like a steel trap as she threw him like a rag-doll across the clearing and toward the forestry.

He looked shocked, but managed to twist through the air and land on the heels of his feet, skidding backwards and leaving a trail of dirt in his wake as he charged forward, not underestimating her speed this time as his hands flickered with seals, Sakura knew what he was planning before he even brought his hand to his mouth.

She made a face of sheer disgust as she appeared before him, formally acclaimed for her speed in a past life, she snatched his fist in her dainty hand. For a split second, blazing sharrigan met with burning emerald.

"I do not wish to fight you, not now, anyway." She ground out through her teeth, "I need to finish training and you've become a distraction. _Get out of my sight._" The last words were accompanied by the cracking of three of his fingers dislodging from their sockets under her fierce grip.

About to attack and scathing, he found himself alone.

His fingers itched at his sides to kill something, the girl who had once nearly fallen to her knees to beg him for a date, for any shred of his attention, had changed. Something was beyond off about her. Never before had she held Naruto in such high regard and himself so low.

_Never _would she have landed a blow on him before and not once had he ever expected her to look at him with such contempt and hatred, a hatred he could put on par with his own for his brother. What had he done to make her turn on him like a caged animal?

'_**Like a caged animal.'**_

Sakura's body screamed at her to rush back, to fight. That breaking a few of his fingers hadn't atoned for what he had done for her. Nothing had been repaid, none of his blood had been spilled. Her fists lit up in an enraged fury as she struck aimlessly at the forestry around her, her body screaming in pain, wanting release from her hours of chakra-less punching and kicking, nothing cushioning her blows but the blind fury she found herself in.

By the time she had left the forest, the sun was rising and her hands were covered in gloves of blood. All knuckles nearly shattered, her arms and shoulders burning with pain. But her heart still beating, still burning, still wanting a kill to atone for her own.

…**...**


	11. Chapter 10

_Salvation_

Disclaimer; All rights to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto. 

Chapter Ten

…**..**

She had been pushing herself to a limit lately. Spending every waking moment, that she wasn't doing grunt work with her team, training. Her speed was steadily increasing and her abysmal chakra reserves were growing each day. She realized that while she was able to perform her chakra scalpel technique a lot of her ninjutsu had been too high-level for her body, but not all and she only needed a handful at best. Her medical ninjutsu was acceptable but her taijutsu was lacking, her body had grown accustomed to the abuse and while her strength was still monstrous _with_ chakra, without it was average at best.

She was sure she could at least land a single blow on Orochimaru and she only needed one. One to stop the sickness he would implant into Sasuke. She could calm down her training and rest somewhat easy after she'd proven that she could back up her theory. Until then, she would gather all the strongest and most toxic poisons in her arsenal and hope for a miracle.

Though- she already had a trick up her sleeve. Two weeks ago she requested leave to visit her grandparents in Bear Country, which was true that she had relatives in the area- as stated in her personal record, but it was not her intention for leaving the village.

Pulling a yellowing scroll from pack that rested comfortably on the small of her back, she smiled. Ibuse had been her most faithful ally throughout her past life. Tsunade had offered her a contract with her own personal summon, but she had declined. Hearing fables of a poisonous salamander were too interesting to let by.

She laid the long scroll out before her, biting into the tender flesh at the pad of her thumb until beads of red prickled above the skin, she began sloppily writing out the characters of her name before tapping her other fingers into the blood of her thumb and pressing her hand against the musky surface of the scroll, being sure to put as little chakra into the summon as possible- she couldn't have a giant salamander appearing in the outskirts of Konoha.

A small cloud of smoke signaled that the smallest pair of her group- Kotetsu and Kintetsu had appeared. Kotetsu being a white salamander, Kintetsu being the black. They looked up at her with suspicious black eyes.

"Why have you summoned us?" Kotetsu, always the more talkative of the two, asked in a calm tone. Kintetsu was busy cocking his head at the small girl, sizing her up.

The red scarf currently shielding the lower portion of her mouth was tugged down as she smiled warmly at the duo she had missed so much through her imprisonment. "I am Sakura Haruno and I wish to make a contract with you."

"Why should we fight alongside you, girl?" Kintetsu spoke up, his tiny black eyes fierce as the little salamander stood on it's stubby back legs, showing her it's purple spotted belly. She smiled warmly, remembering Kintetsu as the sharper and more calloused of the two.

She scooped a wriggling Kotetsu into her hands, he hissed but made no move to bite her, "Your previous master, Hanzo, has died, has he not?" She questioned, softly rubbing the space between the white salamander's eyes, it had always been his weak spot, the tiny creature cooed and curled closer into her hold,

Kintetsu, while trying not to look envious of his brothers petting, slyly moved forward on his tiny legs. "What of it?"

Sakura smiled as she felt the cool, skaley slick hands of the salamander on her calf as he tried to climb into her lap, failing miserably before she gently picked him up, scratching just under his chin.

"I promise to treat you with respect and not make contracts with any other summons." She bargained, knowing the Salamander's rule of once-loyal-always-loyal. They did not take kindly to their summoner making other contracts.

"We will report to Ibuse." Kotetsu mewled before disappearing in a cloud of smoke, Kintetsu following suit with only the grumbled words of "better not lose our scroll, brat."

She didn't want to recall how achingly hard it was to sneak into Ame, home to the current Akatsuki base, and steal this scroll from Hanzo's tomb. Sighing, she stuffed it into her pouch until the moment she would need it once more.

Unbeknownst to her, two sets of eyes watched her leave the clearing.

"_Danna, why do we have to watch this stupid girl?" _

"_Shut up, Deidara." _

…**...**


	12. Chapter 11

_Salvation_

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto

Chapter Eleven

…**..**

"_The human body can survive three weeks without sustenance, yet you seem to be withering away at only two. And you called yourself a shinobi? Pathetic."_

_Her scalp screamed in pain as her captor held her hardly conscious form by a knot of hair. A set of crimson eyes bore into her as she sneered defiantly through her exhausted and hardly lucid state, offering no subsidence to the bastard standing over her. _

"_Well aren't you in a bad mood… what? S-sick of the hateful looks 'your' villagers give you? Or is the sky too blue __**your majesty?**__" She panted heavily, unable to stop her words from slurring as her tongue stuck to the roof of her dry mouth. _

_The inky haired Uchiha standing over her didn't look amused in the least as he tossed her backwards against the cement wall as if she were a scrap of bone to throw to the dogs. She hit the wall with a hiss of pain, but kept her tears locked away. _

"_Look at you, the fifth Hokage's prized possession, piss soaked and locked in a cell." He sneered at her. An amused glint shimmering in those deep, cruel eyes that scorned into her flesh like red hot iron. _

_She bared her teeth to the man, "Better… better than bowing down to trash like you-" _

_A harsh kick to her side had her lurching forward, unable to vomit as she had not eaten in at the very least, two weeks. Her ribs fractured under the pressure and she shifted her weight to avoid her bones from curling inwards and puncturing something. _

"_I'd be careful how you spoke to Sasuke-Sama, bitch." A high-pitched voice spat from the background. It was Sasuke's little pet, some redheaded woman who conducted the better portion of cruel experiments on Sakura and the other members of the rebellion. _

"_Hah… 'Sama'. As- as if you'll ever be __**half**__ the man Naruto was." The pinkette urged, unable to keep her mouth shut. "Compared to him, Sasuke's no weaker than the Uchiha that were slaughtered in the massacre-" _

_A secondary harsh blow sent her flying back against a corner, to weak with hunger to fight back she simply propped herself up, using the pad of her thumb to brush away the blood dripping from the side of her mouth. He'd definitely knocked out one of her back teeth with that one-_

"_What? Tell me… C… can you still hear mommy and daddy's screams, Sasuke?" Sakura laughed bitterly, making eye contact with the sharringan wielder, "Do you hear them screaming for their second born son- the __**disappointment**__?" _

"_You will learn to hold your tongue!" Sasuke snarled, gripping the lower half of her face in his palm. She considered biting his hand but doubted she could, settling for making a low growling noise. _

"_**Long live the Sixth**__." She snarled loudly through the fingers encasing her mouth. _

Sakura jolted forward, a sheen of sweat over her body as she fearfully pulled the thin white linen sheets to her form. Shoulders shaking with fear as if trying to match the vibrations of her crazed heartbeat, she inched toward the corner of her bedroom. Once her back touched the wall she was able to catch her breath- but no sooner than that did the anger and anxiety set in.

She ran a hand through her choppy locks, eyes burning with the sting of salty tears. Why? Why did he still affect her so? She was finally stronger than him- she'd been given more than one opportunity to kill him, so why couldn't she?

_Because it would devastate Naruto… He couldn't even face the truth back then… _She thought mournfully to herself. She had no choice but to allow him to live longer, no matter how much harder it made her own life. She was doing it for Naruto, whom she owed her life a thousand times over.

Even what she was doing now isn't nearly enough to repay the great debt her and the other members of the Konoha rebellion owed him. Not even if she rescued him a million times over- she could never do what he did.

Instinctively, she found herself searching for the flask of rice wine she used to keep hidden in her bra. Only to remember that it was no longer there. No, nothing was the same as it was the last time she had stepped foot in the leaf village.

And if she could help it, it never would be.

_She'd bet it on her life. _

…


End file.
